••• The Battery Park City Authority recently decided that the public would not be allowed to speak at its board meetings, but elected officials could. The Broadsheet quotes chair Dennis Mehiel thus: “We thought about it, talked among ourselves, and looked at practices of other authorities, and concluded that we’re not inclined to do that for a variety of reasons. What we did say in response was if members of the public want to communicate with the board through their elected officials, we’re more than happy to accommodate that.” So state senator Daniel Squadron showed up at last night’s meeting and read a long statement about how the BPCA is flat-out wrong—with examples of many comparable groups that allow public comment—and included a number of concerns from people in the neighborhood. Read Squadron’s statement here.

••• “Justin Bieber was at Aire Ancient Baths in Tribeca on Tuesday being massaged by two men at once […] and he was ‘moaning for all to hear.'” Different strokes for different folks. —New York Post

••• Church Street School for Music and Art’s lease ends in five years, and it “is struggling to find a future in the well-heeled neighborhood it can no longer afford.” —Tribeca Trib

••• There’s going to be a plaza—a privately owned public space—around 50 West, at one end of the forthcoming West Thames pedestrian bridge. “The plaza, with an art gallery and a cafe with planters, tables and chairs, will become a gateway for thousands of pedestrians crossing the bridge each day, said Francis Greenburger, chairman of Time Equities Inc., and the developer of 50 West Street.” The Wall Street Journal doesn’t specify the size of the plaza (rendering below, along with one of the bridge and 50 West). As for 50 West, I think the building is handsome, but I wish they had found another solution for the awkwardly semi-screened mechanicals at the top.